Toy



April 9, 1946- J. F. MARTIN, JR, ET AL TOY Filed Oct. 25, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORS v JOSEPH F. MARTiN JR. BY

1 f ATTORNEY EDWARD JASTRZEMBSKI April 9, 1946. J. F. MARTIN, JR., ET AL 2,393,023

TOY Filed Oct. 25, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 2 4m 27 26 i 11 2| 24 E r 22 23 20 I6 uvVz-zzvroxs JOSEPH F. MARTIN JR.

' BY EDWARD JASTRZEMBSKI WIW ATTORNE s Patented Apr. 9, 1946 TOY J osep'hl- F. Martin, Jr and Edward Jastrzembski, Detroit, Mich. said Jastrzembski:v assignor: tosaid Joseph F. Martin. Jr.

Application October 23, 1944, Seri'al-iNo. 559,941

9 Claims.

This invention relates generally to toys and refers more particularly to wheeled toys adapted to be pulled or pushed over a suitable surface for the amusement of children and others.

One of the essential objects of the invention is to provide a toy of this type wherein two figures simulating kittens or other objects are arranged in opposed relationupon. opposite sides of a freely suspended ball' and haveiportions. simulating paws of the kittens for alternately striking at the ball as the toy is. moved.

Another object is. to. provide a toy wherein the figures have other portions, preferably simulating tails of, the kittens, for moving back and forth about fixed pivots as the portions aforesaid simulating the. paws of the kittens are moved.

Another object is to provide a toy wherein the portions simulating the paws and tails respectively of the kittens are actuated from combination pulley-cam elements on the axles for the supporting wheels of the toy.

Another object is to provide a toy wherein the motion of the portions simulating the paws of the kittens is controlled by stationary cross pins carried by the body portions of the figures simulating the kittens. I 7

Another object is to provide atoy that is simple in construction, economical to manufacture, efficient in operationv and capable. of attracting and holding the attention. of children and others, while in operation.

Other objects, advantages and novel details of construction of this invention will bemade more apparent as this description proceeds, especially when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure l is a sideelevation of a toy embodying our invention, with. parts broken away and in section and showing by dotted lines alternate positions of the parts I"! simulating the tails of the kittens;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view thereof;

Fig. 3 is an end view thereof;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary elevational view of the toy, with parts broken away and in section; and

Fig. 5 is a sectional View taken on the line 55 of Fig. 1.

Referring now to the drawings, A is the base or platform, B are the supporting wheels, C and D respectively are the figures on the base, and E is a ball suspended freely from a cross bar In on the base of a toy embodying our invention. As shown, the base A is in the form of a fiat substantially rectangular slab and is provided on the underside thereof adjacent opposite ends with depending blocks ll that receive and form bearings for suitable front and rear axles l2 and 13 respectively rigid with the supporting wheels B.

The figures C and'D simulate kittens and have body portions l4 rigid with the base A, elongated arm" portions I5 and I6 simulating paws of the kittens, and longitudinally curved portions Il simulating tails of the kittens; Preferably the figures C andD are arranged in opposed relation upon opposite sides of the ball E and are in substantially upright position so that the paws l5 and [6' of each kitten are. in position to strike at such ball.

i In the present instance the ball E is suspended by. a cord I8' from the cross bar Illat the upper ends of laterally spaced uprights l9 rigid with the base A'. Thus, the ball E is free to swing and be moved by the paws. I5 and I6 as they are moved. I

The paws l5 and l6 of both figures are provided intermediate'their ends with longitudinally extending. substantially straight slots 2!] that receive cross pins 2'l rigid with the body portions I4 of the figures, and are provided at their inner ends; with circular holes 22 that receive pivot pins 23' carried by crank. arms 24 rigid with cross shafts 25 journaled in the body portions ['4 of the figures; Thus, the paws l5 and I6 of each figure are alternately moved in predetermined arcs of circles. to strike or slap at. the ball E. By changing the contour of the slots 20 the motion, of the paws l5 and 16 may be correspondingly varied, as desired.

Mounted upon and rigid with the cross shafts 25 are pulleys 26' driven by belts 2'! from lower pulleys. 28' mounted, upon and rigid with enlarged portions 29of the axles l2 and II?) Preferably the rearmost belt 21 is crossed at 30 so that the motion imparted to the paws l5 and N5 of the rearmost figure D Willbe the same as that imparted to the paws [5' and i6 of the foremost figure C, namely to slap down in the arc of a circle at the ball.

As shown, the upper and lower pulleys 26 and 28 have grooves 3| and 32 respectively in the peripheries thereof to receive the belts 21, and the peripheries 33 of the lowermost pulleys are cam shaped, Arms 34 having reduced end portions 35 fixed within the longitudinally curved portions l1 simulating the tails of the kittens bear against the cam shaped peripheries 33 of the lowermost pulleys and cause the tails to swing about their fixed pivot pins 36 from the full line to the dotted line positions (Fig. 1) during rotation of said pulleys. Thus, the tails I! as well as the paws I and I6 are actuated from the combination pulley-cam elements 28,

In use, when the toy is pulled or pushed over a suitable surface, the axles I2 and I3 will be rotated by the wheels B and will cause the pulleys 28 to rotate. As the result, the cam portions 33 of such pulleys will cause the arms 34 to swing the tails I1 back and forth, while the belts 2'! reeved on said pulleys 26 and 28 will cause the pulleys 26 to rotate and thereby cause the cross shafts 25 and crank arms 24 to rotate and move the paws I5 and I6 on the cross pin 2I. ferring to Fig. 2 it will be noted that the pivot pins 23 for the paws I5 and I6 are loose in the paws and are located at diametrically opposite sides of the cross shafts 25. Hence, the free ends 40 and 4| respectively of the paws I5 and I6 of each figure are staggered and alternately strike at the ball E as they are actuated, as aforesaid. Any suitable means (not shown) may be engaged with the hole 42 in the base A at the forward end thereof to pull the toy over a suitable surface.

What we claim as our invention is:

1. A toy having a base provided with supporting wheels, a figure on the base having substantially parallel elements movable relative toeach other in arcs of circles and having a pivotally mounted element, an axle for said wheels, a, pulley on said axle having a cam shaped portion, means operable by the pulley for actuating said parallel elements, and means operable by the cam shaped portion of said pulley for actuating the pivotally mounted element.

2. A toy having a base provided with supporting wheels, opposed figures on the base, each having substantially parallel elements movable relative to each other in arcs of circles and having a pivotally mounted element, axles for said wheels, pulleys on said axles, one on each axle, each pulley having a cam shaped portion, means operable by the pulleys for actuating the parallel elements of said figures, and means operable bythe cam shaped portions of said pulleys for actuating the pivotally mounted elements. 7

3. A toy having a base provided with supporting wheels, a figure on the base having substantially parallel elements movable relative to each other, an axle for said wheels, a rotatable shaft carried by said figure, pulleys on said axle and shaft, an endless driving element reeved on said pulleys, means for moving said parallel elements including crank arms non-rotatably mounted on said shaft and pivotally connected to said parallel elements, said elements having elongated slots therein, and means for guiding and directing the movements of said elements including a cross Pin carried by said figure and engaging the slots in said parallel elements.

4. A toy having a base provided with support-' ing wheels, a figure on the base having adjacent elements movable relative to each other to and from a predetermined point; an axle for said By re-- wheels, a rotatable shaft carried by said figure, pulleys on said axle and shaft, an endless drivin element reeved on said pulleys, means for moving said elements including crank arms non-rotatably mounted on said shaft and pivotally connected to said elements, and means for guiding and directing the movements of said elements.

5. A toy having a base provided with supporting wheels, a freely suspended ball above said base, a figure on the base in spaced relation to said ball and having substantially parallel elements movable alternately toward and away from said ball, an axle for said wheels, means operable by said axle for actuating said parallel elements, and a single means fixed to the figure for guiding and directing the movements of said parallel elements.

6. A toy having a base provided with supporting wheels, a freely suspended ball above said base, a figure fixed to the base in spaced relation to said ball and having adjacent elements movable alternately toward and away from said ball, said elements having elongated slots therein, an axle for said wheels, means operable by said axle for actuating said elements, and a cross pin fixed to the figure and engaging said slots for guiding and directing the movements of said elements.

7. A toy having a base provided with supporting wheels, a freely suspended'ball above said base. a figure fixed to the base in spaced relation to said ball and having substantially parallel elements movable alternately toward and away from said ball, said figure also having a pivotally mounted element, an axle for said wheels, at pulley on said axle having a cam portion, means operable by said pulley for actuating said parallel elements, and means operable by said cam for actuating said pivotally mounted element.

8. A toy having a base, supporting wheels for said base, an axle for said wheels, bearings for said axle carried by said base, a figure on the base having substantially parallel elements movable relative to each other, a cross shaft journaled in said figure, pulleys on said axle and shaft respectively, an endless driving element reeved on said pulleys, actuating means for said elements carried by said shaft, and guide means for said elements carried by said figure.

' 9. A toy having a base, supporting wheels for said base, an axle for said wheels, bearings for said axle carried by said base, a figure on the base having substantially parallel elements movable relative to each other, a cross shaft journaled in said figure, pulleys on said axle and shaft respectively, an endless driving element reeved on said pulleys, actuating means for said elements carried by said shaft, said elements having elongated slots therein, and a single guide member for said elements fixed to said figure and engaging said slots.

JOSEPH F. MARTIN, JR. EDWARD JASTRZEMBSKI. 

